Sparks of Alshich: The Real Purpose of the Ten Plagues - Rabbi Shmuel Wagshal

And today the alik is going to discuss the conversation and the story of the 10 plagues. What exactly was the purpose of the 10 plagues? What was God trying to get out of the 10 plagues? What was supposed to be the the result of the 10 plagues? Why specifically the number 10? And uh you know what was the whole idea of giving and putting the Mitsum through the 10 plagues? So the alik first of all starts off by saying that the 10 plagues of course had a purpose. There was a reason for the number 10 and and the plagues in itself in of itself had a specific purpose that they were trying to get at. And he proves this from the wording. We see that there were actually uh different warnings given for some of the plagues. Some of the plagues had warnings, some of the plagues didn't have warnings. And we're going to explain and go through the idea that the the the the specific warnings and the languages in each of the warnings are actually slightly different. And he proves from here that obviously the purposes the purpose of the different plagues had different specific purposes gave us signs in referencing the plagues. So it says to the 10 plagues and what was that? So of course isim blood frogs and uh lice is wild animals uh uh um wild animals uh de which is you know the animals dying and is boils and uh hail the locust darkness and the plague of the just born. So gives us this uh sign, the symbol to remember this. And the question the alik says and everyone asks is what's the purpose? Is it because I'm going to forget the 10 plagues? Was it for us to remember the 10 plagues? Of course the alik says no. The alik says that fundamentally the plagues were split into three. The first three plagues, the middle three plagues, and the last four plagues. And that's what the hood is teaching us that the each three plagues have different categories. Now what are the categories? So the alik says that actually the mitim fundamentally were kifer the mitsim denied three fundamental ideas about hashem. The first idea that the mitzim denied was mitsas hashem. the reality of God. The reality that there's a God in the world. That was the first thing the Mitsim Mits that was the first thing that the Mitsim denied. The second thing, says the al that the Mitsim denied was that even if there's a God in the world, he created the world. He doesn't get involved in the nitty-gritties. And that is bought out by the fact that he cares about the Jews that he's deeply involved with the Jewish people and the uh destiny of the Jewish people. You know, he maybe exists but he doesn't actually get involved and have a curing for one nation over the other. That's the second thing that the Egyptians denied. And the third thing they denied was that if you want to say that there is some sort of force and power that cares about the Jews and as an investment in the Jewish people, he's more of like assar, an angel, an administering angel of the Jewish people, but he's not a god of all. He's not a king over all. He's not the creator of everything. Maybe the Jews have some sort of connection to the higher realms. Maybe there is some sort of malik, some sort of angel who is watching the Jewish people, but he is not the ultimate god. These are the three things that the Egyptians fundamentally were arguing and dis and and were and were not believing him. So again, Mits Hashem, the reality of Hashem, the fact that God Hashem cares about the Jewish people and he's intimately involved in the Jewish people's destiny, and the fact that he's not only involved in the Jewish people, but he's actually the God of the entire world and created the entire world and he's only one. That's basically what the alik says the Egyptians fundamentally denied. So of course, Hashem had to or wanted to bring them proof to show them that all three things which you deny are actually true. And that's the entire purpose of the makas. It's not just to punish the Egyptians because as we're going to see soon, then Hashem could have just punished with one Makkah or whatever, done something, you know, one major miracle. But the idea was that God wanted to prove and show and give a sign that these three fundamental truths are in fact true. So let us start. He says that the first set of makas is and he says something very interesting that at that in that first um set of makers the the warning that Mosher Rabenu was to tell was to tell parro included the world's words with that you will know that I am Hashem that is in the words of the warning God specifies with these with these makas you will know that I am God. And what happens at the end of the makas finally at the end of the third Makkah par himself says um this is in fact the finger of God. So after the first three makas par actually admits that there is a god in the world. So that's category number one. Now category number two, pestilence, wild animals and boils. So over here the alik says that we see specifically in the warning not that uh I will know that I am Hashem but in the warning hashem tells to tell you you will know that I because he will that I am God who's in the midst of the land literally in the midst of the land. What is that coming to say? Not just that I am Hashem but I am intimately involved and I am intimately uh a part of every detail of the of the people and specifically which people the Jewish people. And how does Hashem prove this? So we see something interesting that the verse specifically by these three uh makos give the word separation because if you think about it uh pestilence de wild animals and like you know boils infections do not separate between Jew and Gentile. Wild animals run about pestilence uh diseases don't separate between Jew and Gentile and yet the verse says the I will separate both it says I will separate and the the wild animals will run only to the Egyptians pestilence will hit only to the Egyptians um and again it says by the B that it will be specifically the Egyptians that will suffer that will suffer from boils why does it specify in these verses is that it will separate and only you will see that the destruction will happen by the Egyptians to prove to prove that I am separating the Jew from the Gentile. These three middle plagues are coming specifically to prove that what that not only that I exist but I am amongst the land and I care about the outcome of this world and I have investment in this world and specifically my value to the Jewish people. And the last plagues are what? What is that proving? That you might say that, oh, okay, there's a special angel that watches the Jews and he's pretty good at his job. You know, he's a he's he does a good job, but he's not the king of the world. He didn't create the world. He's not in charge of all of us. And that's the last plagues. Of course, the warning that God says is mighty. There is no one like me in the whole world. Right? Again, don't assume that I am just another administrating administering angel. Don't assume I'm just another force of power. There is no other power like me in the entire world. I am the creator of the world. I am the creator of everything. Don't compare me to anything else. And of course this is ultimately proven by the final plague of Makus Bakurus where God himself came down picked out the firstborn of the Egyptians whether it was the firstborn of the mother or father and skipped over the firstborn of the Jews. So this was ultimately in its climax proven by Makus. So the point over here is that of course [clears throat] Hashem if Hashem was just trying to prove the the Egyptians and show his power. He could have done anything. But he specifically wanted to show the Egyptians and show really the entire world that CS Hashem the reality of God the fact that Hashem cares and is intimately involved in the Jewish people. And number three that he's the king of the whole world and he could do anything of course. But that leaves the final question. Why specifically number 10? Why not nine? Why not 11? So the says something very interesting. The says a Mishna says with 10 utterances the world was created. Now, Hashem says the I want to prove myself in the world and I want to show the world that I created the world and I was mad the world. I made the world from new and from and my my relationship with the world. Just as I created the world in 10 utterances, I'm going to specifically use 10 signs to prove what I have done to show the world that what I have done. The world was created in 10 utterances. I'm going to make 10 signs and 10 proofs that I created the world and my relationship with it. But the Mishna ends ends off. God of course could have created the world with one utterance. What was the purpose of him in fact creating with 10 utterances? The reason why he made 10 plagues it says is to prove that that he created the world which he did in 10 utterances 10 m. But if the mission itself asks why couldn't God create the world in one with one utterance. So it says something very interesting to give retribution to the evil that destroy the world to give more retribution to the the evildoers who destroy the world which was created in 10 utterances and to give great reward to the to the righteous that holds up the that was created with 10 utterances. That's the mission's answer. So when was the when the Hashem wants to punish the sadik the destroyed his world and denies his reality, he's going to give them retribution and show them that you're wrong. I did create the world and I do have a relationship with this world. How many how is he going to do the punishment with 10 plagues? Because it says that why was the world created with 10 utterances to give to specifically to give uh retribution to the rishim that destroy the world that was created in 10 with ter utterances. So what is the way God is going to punish them with 10 plagues? And we ask Hashem that just as he in the first gulus he took us out with the destruction of the Egyptian and 10 plagues as Hashem very soon he will be he'll give great reward to the righteous in the final redemption and we will see 10 tremendous miracles tremendous miracles and great reward for the Jewish people who have been holding on tight through all the years of the first kalis all the way till this kus And may we very very soon see with 10 tremendous miracles the shalma. Amen.